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Werner Erhard is is the originator of transformational learning methodologies that have helped shaped human consciousness in the 20th century. His transformational methods have redefined how people see and live their lives. His work is a powerful, practical, and relevant resource in contemporary society. Erhard’s insights into the nature of productivity and human performance have been widely used and successfully applied in the fields of psychology, anthropology, sociology, physics, medicine and philosophy, as well as in business management. The website wernererhardideas.com has information about the impact his work has had on people’s lives and organizations.

From The Heart of The Matter, By Werner Erhard, 1984 The subject of this article is transformation – a deep, profound and committed choice about the way we live our lives. Transformation is the possibility for a breakthrough in our living, a clearing for aliveness to show up in our everyday activities, self-expression and commitments. Talking about transformation is no more than a representation, an image of the real thing. It’s like eating the menu instead of the steak – neither nurturing nor profound. It is in being transformed – in being authentically true to oneself – that one lives passionately free, unencumbered, fearless, committed. It is in living life in a transformed way that the steak and its sizzle show up. We invite you to be here for the actual benefits of transformation, for the meal – not the menu. THREE KINDS OF TALKING Our language, the way we speak, shows up in three different ways. The first is “talking about.” In “talking about,” our commitment is to describe, report, or explain situations or events. Such talk, however, seems to have no impact on the thing it represents. For instance, talking about tennis in the clubhouse after the game doesn’t seem to affect anyone’s performance on the court. Another kind of talking is that which evokes. Its commitment is distinct from using words to represent. Poetry, for example, never simply talks about something. Rather, it brings something present. Poetry can bring sadness into our immediate experience, or joy, or wonder; in the presence of such experience, we are moved. While speaking that evokes seems to have more impact than speaking that represents, the “you” that it addresses is the same “you” that was present before. Neither evocative speaking nor representative speaking has the power to reach down into being and alter the possibilities that you have, or more importantly, to alter the possibility that you are. There is, however, a kind of speaking that does alter being. It profoundly expresses what it is to be human. It speaks possibility itself, neither merely representing it nor even evoking it. Rather, it brings forth the possibility that it speaks, in the very act of speaking it. Such speaking has a direct and lasting impact; in the very act of speaking, it alters the course of events. SPEAKING THAT ALTERS THE COURSE OF EVENTS Although most of us seldom think about it, the kind of talking that reaches down into being and alters what is possible, deeply affects our lives. For example, the truth that all men are created equal did not exist before the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. At that time, there was no evidence for the equality of men. It was a truth brought forth in the declaration alone. In the act of speaking – in the authors’ willingness to give themselves over to the possibility, to stand fully for their creation – an equality that had before been impossible, was born. Two hundred years later, in the space of that declaration, we are still exploring the possibility of equality and discovering its implications as they extend to all humankind. Once you have heard what the Declaration of Independence had to say – not as a representation, not even just to be in the presence of it, but as a clearing for the possibility that it is – then what you can think and feel and see is altered. Your actions are altered. Who you are has taken on a new meaning. The work of transformation springs from a commitment to this particular kind …

In manifesting your aliveness, you will want to follow a principle which was beautifully stated by Albert Schweitzer when he said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” Notice that Dr. Schweitzer says “sought and found how to serve.” He did not say “try to serve,” or “try something and drop it,” or “do the best you can.” Happiness comes from having served successfully. One continues to expand in one’s ability to serve by meeting the challenge of actually delivering the results. Decide on a project for which you are willing to take complete responsibility. Complete the project successfully. Relate this achievement to others as an inspiration for them. Your willingness to express yourself may be just the trigger needed by someone else to do something for themselves. From now on, don’t wait for something to happen to you. Actually take responsibility for making something happen. Keep at it until you make it a successful experience for everyone. You can make the difference. Werner Erhard, from the est Graduate Review, March 1980

Abstract The seemingly never-ending scandals in the world of finance, accompanied by their damaging effects on value and human welfare, make a strong case for an addition to the current paradigm of financial economics. We summarize here our new theory of integrity that reveals integrity as a purely positive phenomenon with no normative aspects whatsoever. Adding integrity as a positive phenomenon to the paradigm of financial economics provides actionable access (rather than mere explanation with no access) to the source of the behavior that has resulted in those damaging effects on value and human welfare, thereby significantly reducing that behavior. More generally we argue that this addition to the paradigm of financial economics will create significant increases in economic efficiency, productivity, and aggregate human welfare. Because integrity has generally been treated as a virtue (a normative phenomenon) the actual cause of the damaging effects of out-of-integrity behavior are hidden, resulting in assigning false causes to those effects. This keeps the actual source of these damaging effects invisible to us. As a result, in spite of all the attempts to police the false causes of these damaging effects, the out-of integrity actions that are the source of these effects continue to be repeated. This new model of integrity makes the actual source of the damage available for all to see, and therefore to act on. Integrity as we define it (or the lack thereof) on the part of individuals or organizations has enormous economic implications for value, productivity, and quality of life. Indeed, integrity is a factor of production as important as labor, capital, and technology. Without a clear, concise, and most importantly, an actionable definition of integrity, economics, finance and management are far less powerful than they can be. Citation: Erhard, Werner and Jensen, Michael C., Putting Integrity Into Finance: A Purely Positive Approach (2017). Capitalism and Society, Vol. 12 [2017], Iss. 1, Art. 1.  http://capitalism.columbia.edu/journal/12/1

The purpose of The Erhard Jensen Ontological / Phenomenological Initiative is to stimulate and support research into the development and application of the ontological / phenomenological laws of human nature and human behavior to the lives of individuals and human entities to reliably and significantly elevate human performance and quality of life. This includes all areas of living across the entire spectrum of human activity, for example: Individuals, families and groups Public and private organizations such as partnerships, corporations, non-profit and educational entities Public agencies and governmental entities Bring the ontological / phenomenological model and methodology utilized in this leadership course to education — including research, course development, and teaching. Stimulate and support research into the study and teaching of the ontological /phenomenological laws of human nature and human behavior, and the impact of these laws on life, living, and self. For more information see http://www.erhardjensen.org Save